Morning journal and courier., 1887-06-16
NATHAN HALE AND ALICE ADAMS.
Some Fictions of History Corrected
An Interesting Story From Her
GraDdchild.

Some Ficti0ns of History Corrected
An Interesting Story From Her
GraHdchild.
Two granddaughter of Alice Adams, Ma
than Hale's betrothed, live in Hartford-Mrs.
DR.. Hastings and her sister, Miss Elizabeth
B. Sheldon. Miss Sheldon was at the I'M
yelling of the Hale statue Tuesday and after
hearing what was said she made various i'm
portant corrections Of the current stories of
the engagement of Hale and Alice Adams.
The facts as she gives them come from man
uscript evidence, the testimony of her own
mother, who was the daughter of Alice
Adams, and other similar authentic sources.
The tradition is that Alice Adams married
twice after Hale's DEATH The fact is that
she was already widow while engaged to
Hale, and though she did marry after his
death, it was under peculiar circumstances,
none of which are inconsistent with the be-
lief that Hale was the only man whom she
really loved. The romantic story is essen
TALLY as follows:
Nathan Hale's father married for his SEC
ond wife the widow Abigail Adams, Of Can
terbury. She had two or three lovely daugh-
tiers, grown up or fast growing up, and Mr..
Hale had several sons of corresponding age
and attractiveness. Soon after the families
became one the sons began falling in love
with the daughters, and one pair of them
married. After this Nathan developed a
tenderness for Alice, though she was scarcely
more than a child. The father Hale made up
his mind there had been enough of this inter-
marrying and summarily shut down on this
match, and sent Nathan off for his education
for the ministry.
Then came an excellent offer for Alice's
hand. Mr.. Eliphalet Ripley, man of prop
oT.fr oT16 oh onfn
asked her in marriage. She was of yield
ing nature, and she gave way to the pressure
brought to bear upon her and became Mrs.
Ripley at the early age of sixteen years. With
in two years he died and she was widow at
Is, with comfortable little property. About
this time Nathan Hale came home and would
tolerate no more opposition. He and Alice
avowed the affection they had had and be
came engaged, but they could not be married
at once. Then came the war, and Nathan
went off and met the fearful fate that was
their final separation.
She resolved thereupon never to marry
again, but the person who had charge of her
property proved dishonest and her entire
possessions were lost. Meanwhile the repu-
tation of her beauty spread far and wide.
She was known as ''the handsomest girl in
Connecticut" William Lawrence of Hart
ford, familiarly called ''the marquis" son of
Treasurer JChn Lawrence, started after her
marry and she again yielded. She became
Mrs. Lawrence and lived in Hartford until
she was 98 years old. Her last words we're
not "EWrite to Nathan" but so, call Ma
than" In her later years she grew somewhat
childish. her mind reverting to the people
and scenes of her earlier days.
Mrs. Alice Adams Lawrence frequently
spoke of Nathan Hale to her daughter, who
in turn repeated the talk to her daughter.
Miss Sheldon says she described him as six
feet high, straight as an Indian and remark
ably athletic and manly.
The Lawrences lived for many years on the
corner of State and Market streets, in the
wooden house only recently pulled down.
The descendants of the family now in the
city are Miss Sheldon and Mrs Hastings, and
Mrs. Hastings children and grandchildren.
The children of Mr.. and Mrs. John Hab
berton. "Helen's Babies" are grandchildren
of Mrs. Hastings, and so are great great
grandchildren of Alice Adams.-Hartford
Courant.